"Do you have a superpower trait": NFL insider discloses what teams are looking for in Shedeur Sanders amid falling draft stock

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 23 Colorado at Kansas - Source: Getty
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 23 Colorado at Kansas - Source: Getty

Shedeur Sanders' draft stock experienced a significant fall this week. The quarterback was widely projected as a top 5 pick in many mock drafts over the last few months. However, questions are arising within NFL front offices about Sanders' talent and ceiling.

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On “The Herd,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted that teams are seeking a defining “superpower trait” from Shedeur Sanders during the pre-draft process. Many teams are looking for a standout quality that sets him apart from the rest of the draft class.

“I think the issue with Shedeur – and this is going to be a difficult thing for him to address over the next six or seven weeks – is, are you special in any one area?” Breer said. “Do you have a superpower trait?. Or, are you an average athlete with an average arm, in an NFL context?
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“And I think that that’s the way a lot of teams look at him. He’s not a great athlete. He doesn’t have a big arm. So where is the superpower that’s going to make you want to take him in the Top 5? I think you attach that, then, to what the teams in the AFC are looking up at, and that’s sort of this Mount Olympus of quarterbacks.”
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Accuracy could be said to be Shedeur Sanders’ strength. Last season, he led the nation with a 74% pass completion percentage, ending his career as the most accurate quarterback. However, many questions are arising about his athleticism as a player.

High AFC quarterback standard places Shedeur Sanders in a difficult position

The standard of quarterback play in the AFC has improved significantly over the last couple of years. Teams hoping to compete within the conference need a quarterback who can live up to that standard. Whether Shedeur Sanders has what it takes is a lingering question.

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“If you’re Tennessee picking first or Cleveland picking second, I’ll borrow a term that Daniel Jeremiah used with me a few days ago: It’s almost like you have to chase ceiling,” Breer said.
“It’s not, ‘Can this guy be a good player?’ It’s, ‘Can this guy be good enough to compete with Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in the AFC?’ And oh, by the way, when you get by those guys, you’ve still got more guys with a lot of upside in C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence and Bo Nix and Drake Maye.”

Any team that selects Shedeur Sanders as a high draft pick will demand that he get things up and running right from the start. However, his talent and ability to meet the standard are being questioned, which can further impact his draft stock over the next few weeks.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
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